Stocking protector



`lune 20, 1939. D. CR|CHT0N sToCKING PROTECTOR Filed May l2, 1938 INVENTOR l7elma CPLch/ion/ 5 A E s s E N w w Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE 3Claims.

This invention relates to stocking protectors and has for an object to provide a construction which may be easily applied and easily removed and which when in use will cover all the exposed parts of a womans stocking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protecting device foristockings which may be folded into a small package and carried by a woman in her hand-bag, and may be readily unfolded and placed in position over stockings being worn.

A further object, more specically. is to provide a stocking protector which is substantially transparent and which when placed over a stocking when worn will be held in position at the upper end by a suitable elastic and at the lowerend by a shoe strap.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a view slightly in perspective showing an embodiment of the invention as it will appear in use;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the protector shown in Fig. 1, the same being on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional -view through Fig. 2, approximately on the line 3 3;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on an enlarged scale through Fig. 2, approximately on the line 4 4;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through Fig. 2, approximately on the line 5 5.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, l indicates the protector as a whole, and 2 a stocking as it appears when in use. As indicated in Fig. 3, there is illustrated a shoe 3 in connection with ,the leg shown so that when the protector I is in use the shoe strap Il may be properly fitted under the arch of the shoe and the retaining4 elastic strap 5 tted around the small part of the leg immediately below the knee. Preferably the straps 4 and 5 are elastic and are stitched in place at both ends.

The protector i is preferably appreciably larger than the leg of the person wearing the device so that it may be readily slipped in place, but by reason oi the elastic strap 5 the band 6 will properly grip the leg to support the protector. The protector l is provided with a body 1 which may be made from any suitable material but preferably from a transparent material, such as oil silk, though other substantially waterproof material may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. The band 6 is formed with a substantially inelastic strip 8 held in place by stitching 9 which extends through the folded-over portion I0 of the upper edge of the body 1. Preferably the elastic band member 5 is held in place by special stitching II at the respective ends and with the band 6 forms a completely encircling 5 band member.

It will be noted from Figs. 1 and 2 that the body I is cut away at I2 and is turned over and stitched to provide hems I3 and I4 which merge into a single hem I5 extending from the open- 10 ing I2 to the. bottom of the protector. Also the protector at the lower end is preferably folded upon itself several times, as indicated in Fig. 4, to make a stiffening cuff I 6. Suitable lines of stitching II act to hold the folded portions together l5 and also connect the arch band 4 in place.

When the device is to be used the foot with the shoe 3 is inserted through the top of the protector and then the protector is pulled upwardly until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 1. 20 This is done for each leg and. consequently, stockings will be properly protected against rain, snow, and the like. When the rain, snow, or the like, has ceased, the protector may be readily removed by reverse movement to that above described. 25 The protector is easily folded into a very small package and may be stored in the usual hand-bag carried by women.

I claim:

1. A stocking protector comprising a exible 30 body having a stifienlng cuil. at one end and a band at the opposite end, said band having a non-elastic section secured to said body and an elastic section having its ends connected to the ends of' said non-elastic section, said band being 35 of a size to snugly iit against the leg of the wearer, said body being substantially tubular and of a size to readily iit over the leg of a person, and an elastic arch strap connected to said cuff positioned to extend beneath the shoe of the person m wearing the protector for elastically holding the protector against rising independently.

2. A stocking protector for protecting stockings against snow, rain, and the like, provided with a flexible tubular body open at both ends and pro- 45.

vided with an inclined cutaway portion at the top end, a band member at the top of said protector, said band member comprising a non-elastic section stitched to the top end of said body and an elastic strap having its ends connected to said 50 non-elastic section and extending outwardly beyond the non-elastic section across said cutaway portion to act with the non-elastic section as an encircling band to grip the leg immediately below the knee when the protector is in use, and an 55 10 tion to the top portion of said body and an elastic member secured at its respective ends to the respective ends of said elastic section, said body being folded upon itself at the end opposite said band to form a reinforcing and stitiening cuit, a line of stitching for holding said folded portions together, and a substantially U-shaped elastic arch strap secured at its ends by said line ci stitching to opposite sides of said body.

DELMA CRICHTON. l 10 

